Albee, Jules still in top five richest list

TWO representatives from Negros Occidental are still among the top five richest members of the House of Representatives, based on the summary of their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs).

Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez is still the fourth richest with a declared net worth of P713 million as of December 2013 while First District Representative Julio Ledesma IV remained at fifth place after he declared a P617 million net worth.

In 2012, Benitez declared a net worth of P702.06 million while Ledesma, P590.55 million.

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Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao, who is the lone billionaire, is still the richest among the 289 members of the House, with a net worth of P1.3 billion although it is lower than his 2012 net worth of P1.7 billion.

The second richest is Ilocos Norte Representative Imelda Marcos who also remained in number two with her net worth of P922 million.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. is still the third richest congressman with a net worth of P819 million from P817 million in 2012.

Las Piñas City Representative Mark Villar, son of Senator Cynthia Villar, the richest person in the Senate today, came sixth with a net worth of P526 million, a huge jump from his P361 million net worth in 2012.

Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is the seventh richest member at P475 million. His wealth increased by only P1 million from the previous year.

Also in the top 10 richest are Rizal Representative Joel Roy Duavit (P272 million from P195 million in 2012), Tarlac Representative Enrique Cojuangco Jr. (P217 million from P214 million in 2012), and Maguindanao Representative Zajid Mangudadatu (P215 million).

Meanwhile, militant Anakpawis party-list Representative Fernando Hicap is the poorest member of the House with a net worth of P37,722.

Under Republic Act 6770 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials, all government officials and employees are required under oath to list down all their assets and liabilities in the SALN on or before April 30 of each year.

Richest board member

Meanwhile, neophyte Board Member Renato Malabor of the Fifth District is the richest member of the Negros Occidental Provincial Board with a total net worth of P28 million in 2013.

Malabor placed his total assets at P29.747 million while his liabilities were pegged at P1.1 million, making his net worth P28.647 million.

Malabor said that he did not expect to be the richest board member.

He said that he honestly declared his total net worth which he acquired through several years of hard work.

Before he was elected board member, Malabor served as mayor of Isabela town for three terms.

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